To my regret, I never got to know Allen Klein. Nevertheless, I enjoyed an up-and-down relationship with -- as Fred Goodman describes him in his fascinating new book -- Allen Klein: The Man Who Bailed Out The Beatles, Made The Rolling Stones, and Transformed Rock and Roll.

From the Baby Boomers who experienced the British Invasion firsthand to the scores of alienated youth who found salvation in the sounds of Robert Smith's Fender Jazzmaster -- some of us owe our lives, for better or worse, to British rock guitar.

What makes Wordsmith a fascinating book is Smith's life and the gut-wrenching honesty with which he tells the story of how he overcame self-destruction. It might be one of the best books written about overcoming the grips of alcohol addiction.

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter-producer Van Hunt makes his return this week with the online premiere of "June," his first new music in more than three years. "June" heralds the release of Hunt's new album, what were you hoping for?

"There's no simple answer to who John Lennon was. Sure, he was a great leader and a peacenik; on the other hand, he was an incredibly violent, narcissistic guy. That was the other side of him, and people just don't want to hear that."

Ever since Cat Stevens embraced Islam, the West has been clueless when it comes to accepting the former superstar. His latest release, Roadsinger, is a good start in rebuilding that emotional bridge to Stevens.